Electric-switch terminal



Feb. 9 1926.

H. E. LEPPERT ELECTRIC SWITCH TERMINAL Filed May 31 1921 ayweutoz EZTZ tm 4 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. LEPPERT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULLELECTRIC MFG. COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH TERMINAL.

Application filed May 31, 1921.

To all wlz om it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY E. LEPPERT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a newand useful Electric-Switch Terminal, of which the following is a speciiicution.

My invention relates particularly to the binding post or terminalconstruction. The main object is to provide a construction which may bereadily wired and yet which will hold the end of the wire securely.

Another object is to provide a construction which will facilitate thesevering or breaking off of the end of the wire in the operation ofwiring.

Another object is to provide a terminal having no projecting lugs orwire retaining means.

In its preferred form the invention contemplates the use of what iscommonly called a flat terminal for a switch.

Fig. l is a side view of a snap switch embodying the improvements of myinvention and showing the cover in section.

' Fig. 2 is a fragmentar plan view of the switch base and termina on alarger scale.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the terminal improvements.

The switch mechanism may be of any suitable type, such for instance, asthat shown in the Platt Patent #1,054,939. The base 5 supports a spindle6 which carries the rotary contact member 7.

Each terminal member is conveniently formed of sheet metal, preferablywith two lugs S and 9 threaded to receive the attaching screws 10 and 11respectively. The blade portion 12 projects into the path of movement ofthe rotatable switch blade 7. The terminal plate is notched at 13 toallow for the passage of the wire 14.. A portion of the plate isdepressed or grooved at 15 around the screw seat 16 so as to accommodatethe wire beneath the head of the screw 17. The wall of this groove thusforms in effect a lug to prevent the wire from escaping from beneath thehead of the binding screw as shown in Fig. 3. To facilitate the breakingoff or severing of the end of the wire adjacent the head of the bindingscrew,

Serial No. 473,696.

I preferably provide a notch 18 at one edge, as shown in Fig. 4;.

To wire the terminal, the insulation is stripped from the end of thewire which is then passed through the base and the stripped end 14 istwisted partway around in the channel beneath the head of the screw 17and then clamped in place by the screw. The stripped end of the wireordinarily will be long enough so that a portion will project beyond thescrew. This extended portion (not shown) can be readily bent back andforth in the notch 18 a few times until the wire breaks off short at theedge of the notch adjacent the head of the binding screw. This leaves aneat and finished job with no protruding wire and yet with the wire heldsecurely in place.

One great advantage of wiring the switch in this simple manner is thatthe wire breaks ofi close to the edge of the plate and thus insures thatthere will be no projecting Wireends to prevent the cover from seatingproperly on the shoulder on the base member.

It is obvious that this terminal is cheaper to make than one having theusual projecting lugs or ears for securing the wire, and it is alsoobvious that the omission of such ears or lugs is an advantage becauseof the limited space.

I claim:

1. A switch terminal comprising a plate having anchorage lugs in oneplane, a binding screw seat in a plane slightly offset therefromproviding circumferentlally extending wire retaining shoulders and abinding screw in said seat with its axis substantially at right anglesto the plane of said lugs said shoulders being located around theperiphery of the head of said screw, said plate having a wire breakingnotch in its edge adjacent the edge of the head of said screw.

2. A switch terminal comprising a. plate having anchorage lugs in oneplane, a binding screw seat in a plane slightly ofiset therefrom, abinding screw in said seat with its head in a plane substantiallyparallel to said lugs, and said plate having a wire breaking notchadjacent the edge of said seat and said binding screw.

3. An electrical terminal comprising a plate having a wire-retainingrecess oif-set from the plane thereof and parallel there- 4 with, abinding screw having a head adapting notch located in the edge thereofand a ed to sent within said recess, said plate havshoulder adjacent tothe periphery of the ing' a wire breaking notch adjacent to said head ofsaid binding screw in position to l recess. permit a wire to be woundaround beneath 4. An electric terminal comprising asheet the head of thescrew and bent over and metal plate and a binding screw seated brokenoff in said notch. therein, the said plate having a wire break- HENRYE.-LEPPERT.

